Mercury containing (“Hg-containing”) solids are commonly encountered in the oil & gas industry. They come from many sources, e.g., pigging wastes, tank bottom sediments, sediments from separators and other processing equipment, desalter fines, etc. Depending on the level of mercury and other hazardous wastes in the solids, there are various disposal options including non-hazardous land fill, encapsulation (e.g., in cement), incineration, hazardous land fill, and pyrolysis (or retorting).
There is a need for improved methods and systems for the treatment of Hg-containing solids, producing a treated solid portion with reduced mercury contents which can be subsequently disposed and optionally, an oil portion with reduced mercury contents.